A Swell Season
by graphomaniac
Summary: The earth rotates, the winds shift, the oceans swell, the seasons change, and everything changes with it.
1. Birthday

For now, the story will be told from a series of journal entries written by both 'Bella' and 'Edward'. Couple pairings will be movie canon. Characters will behave 'out of character/ OOC', yet the spirit of their canon characters will be there.

'Present day' will begin with the fall of 2011 but there will be flashbacks for gap filling. I'm rating this 'T' for now. There will be lemons and such, all which we'd see in what passes for PG 13 movies/PG14 TV nowadays (certain curse words, sexual situations involving only persons of the same age group, minor teenage experimentation with alcohol or drugs. And angst, lots of angst.) If I feel the need, and I might, for super juice, I'll forewarn the squeamish.

I'm drawing from a dream I had, (a tad bit of) Friends, Playing for Keeps, my first 'Twilight'- 'Maybe By Then I'll Understand' by Jane McFann, and of course, Twilight. I'll also be including personal and friends experiences. I've chosen Austin, TX as my setting. A mishmash between the mid 90s and today. In the mid 90s there was still an Air Force base open in Austin- Bergstrom Air Force Base. Priscilla Presley once lived on Bergstrom Air Force base with her family before meeting Elvis. Thankyouverymuch.

* * *

Tuesday- September 13, 2011

It should have been one of the happiest nights ever for me, turning 18. Mom had insisted, and Dad had relented, on renting a private room at the fanciest restaurant I had ever seen the inside of in my honor.

Fourteen of the most dear to me people sat celebrating me at a huge, round table in the center of a room swathed in pink roses, balloons, streamers, and banners. Plates of hors d'oeuvres were spread out in various states of half-eateness, glasses were clinked, and a litany of "Happpy Birthday's", "I love you's", "We're so proud's", and "YOLO's" were said.

My friend Angela Weber's boyfriend Eric was responsible for the 'YOLO's'. He repeated it so many times, my mother finally said, "Okay, I give up. What on Earth is a 'yolo'?". Eric explained the meaning behind the obnoxious acronym. I explained that if he said it one more time I'd vomit guacamole on his head. Everyone, Eric aside, had a huge laugh at that because they thought I was kidding. Dad asked if I was feeling alright when he got up to use the restroom. I said I was fine.

Mom glanced quickly over her shoulder and slid her glass with a few swallows of liquid in front of me winked and added, "You only live once." Eric Yorkie clearly has the attention span of a yorkie because he actually said, "YOLO indeed." Angela offered me an apologetic smile. I held the stem of the glass in my hands and then knocked back the warm champagne while she watched the doorway for my fathers return.

After my meal was boxed and the rest of the plates cleared there were presents and a cake entirely too large for 15 people. Mom asked if I wanted to take it home with me to my father's but I figured the guys, Jasper, Eric, and Mike could polish it off and I was fine with that.

The men; my dad Charlie, my stepfather Phil Dwyer, and Edwards father; Mr. Carlisle Cullen, excused themselves and headed to the bar for a 'stiff drink'. Mr. Cullen passed behind my chair to squeeze Edwards shoulders and asked, "You good, son?" Edward just nodded. He didn't move all night. He just sat there in that way that where you can be so close to someone but still so far. We could have easily held hands but we didn't. I didn't reach for his hands and he didn't reach for mine right back. We didn't even speak to each other.

There was a band on the patio that was getting warmed up. I'd never heard of them and I didn't know if it was dancing music or even a dancing kind of place but I needed to get out of the room. I stood up and told everyone I was going to go dance and left the room. Angela, Alice, and Jess followed behind me.

Alice Brandon gave me gentle, swaying, somehow knowing hug. Jess pulled my hair back from my shoulders while Angela asked that a waiter bring me a glass of ice water. My three best friends fussed over me while Edward's mother, Esme, fussed over him back at the table. Through the glass wall I could see that she had moved into my chair beside him. She must have asked his father's question again, if he was alright, and unsatisfied with his answer attempted to take his temperature with the back of her hand. He dodged from her reach and joined the guys as they decimated the left over cake. Edward picked a chalky frosting rose from the corner and crushed it in fingers. He let the dust fall to the floor.

We had listened to the band for about 45 minutes or so when the Cullen's came out the say their final happy birthdays and good-byes. Esme told me how beautiful I was and how good 18 looked on me. How she felt at 18, her world just beginning and full limitless possibilities. Carlisle added that the world had just received another fine young adult that would go on to do great things. Edward stood behind them staring at his shoes. All my friends gathered their things and made to leave as well saying it was late and a school night and whatever else.

Dad, Mom, and Phil came outside as the Cullen's headed down the patio exit. Dad had the receipt in his hand, reviewing the total. I could see him mentally counting to make sure everything was right while Mom and Phil avoided making eye contact. Of course she made Dad pay the bill. She planned this party when I wanted to just have pizza and movies and then didn't help to pay for it. I know why my parents divorced. Dad has always said it was because Mom was a free spirit and wasn't meant to be tied down with the day-to-dayness of life with a husband and children. In reality it's because she's manipulative and narcissistic.

In her recollection of 18 she tells me that she couldn't wait to be free school and her parents and to see as many places, do as many things, and kiss as many boys as possible. Phil patted her ass and said, "Thank god she's finally done being 18." before he kissed her lips. We made a quick plan to get a pedicure when I came 'home' this weekend and then she and Phil hugged me goodbye. Mom aimed a terse smile at dad. My poor father, I think he still misses her.

Dad put one arm around Edwards shoulder and the other around me. He kissed my forehead, saying, "Swell party, kid", and wished me happy birthday once more. Then he pointed at Edward and told him to have me home in an hour.

I've never missed a chance to be alone with Edward before, obviously. I'm sure Dad expected us to take full advantage of his one hour curfew and do whatever we normally did that he didn't want to think about and Edward expected to get to talk with me. But I just wanted to go home. I just wanted to sleep in my 17 year old selfs bedroom, forever if I could. So I lied. I told Dad and Edward that I wasn't feeling very well and that I was going to ride home with Dad. Dad looked as surprised as Edward but recovered more quickly. Dad and Edward did the manly hand shake thing and then Edward kissed my ear and left.

My sulky mood was pretty evident on the ride home. Dad only tried to talk with me once, to ask me again if I was ok. He said that I looked a little 'puny', old man speak for unwell. I watched the road outside my window and told him I was just fine. No, I started to say that I was fine but he interjected saying, "Let me guess, you're just fine." I actually smiled and instead said that I was swell.

I ran straight up to my bathroom when we got home while Dad unloaded my gifts. I turned the shower on as hot as my skin would allow me. I wanted to wash this day right off of me and down the drain. Let it be sent to some treatment center where it could be cleaned up and dumped into a stream bigger than me. I'm going to bed now.

Isabella Marie Swan

Age 17, I mean 18


	2. Family Tree

9/13/11, Tues.

Today was Bella's birthday. 18th to be exact. Her mother Renee somehow convinced Mr. Swan to foot the bill at this ridiculous restaurant. The kind of place Bella would never have chosen and I'm not sure Charlie would have gone if he had in fact ever had choice. The party was all Renee, pink flowers and shit all over the place. Bella would have picked something less ostentatious, less pink. Daisies or something.

At least Bella got to pick who was invited. Her best friends Alice and Angela brought along their boyfriends Jasper Hale and Eric Yorkie. Jess Stanley was there with her new boyfriend, Mike Newton.

Bella wasn't talking to me, still. She wouldn't even look at me. My parents noticed something was wrong. Dad asked me as soon as they arrived and like five times after that. Mom kept looking back between Bella and I. When her parents had everyone posed for a group photo Bella wouldn't even stand next to me. Charlie may have noticed something too but Renee sure didn't. She was wrapped up in playing hostess.

Dinner was strange to say the least.

Jasper's arm is still in a cast from this summer so Alice had to cut up his steak for him. Charlie asked Jasper about the arm and Jasper had told the lie so many times that he didn't even have to think it over to answer. He fell out of a tree, rescuing a kitten. The falling out of tree part was true but he never included that he climbed down into the tree from Alice's bedroom window. He might have also once said something to me about pussy but he wasn't talking about a kitten. I can't believe how easily he just lied to the chief of police, while eating food the chief paid for.

Mike and Jess kept excusing themselves for I don't even want to know what. The guy is really fast on the field but Jess is sure fast off. I mean, Jasper and I met him at summer two-a-days and invited him to go to the lake with us all one day. By the end of the weekend Jess was wearing his clothes and they were walking around with their hands in each others back pockets. Renee thought they made a cute couple, reminded her of she and Phil. Poor Charlie, but the guy kind of dodged a bullet with her.

Eric was being Eric all night. I don't know how Angela can stand to be around him sometimes. He's really latched on to this asinine saying, 'YOLO", and will not met up with it. Everything was 'YOLO' this, and 'YOLO' that. Bella's mother finally asked what he meant by it. You only live once. Fine, the sentiment is pretty solid, but why can't people just say that. That you only live once. Bella's mother acted like it was the most profound thing she had ever heard. And then Bella told Eric that if he repeated it, she was going to puke up her guacamole on his head, which made everyone laugh. Except for Bella, Eric and I. Maybe Eric could tell from the look on Bella's face that it was a real possibility.

Charlie stepped out of the party room to go sneak a smoke and Renee fucking passed Bella a glass of champagne. It was like a swallows worth and probably mostly backwash but I cringed when she took it. I've seen her drink before, but now. She hasn't said what she wants to do yet but I'm not taking this as a good sign.

She didn't even eat her dinner or cake. Jasper, Mike, and Eric launched themselves on the cake after everyone had had a generous portion. Bella went outside to the patio. I wanted to follow her to talk but the girls beat me to it. And once Mom moved over to sit with me I really couldn't get away and have private moment with Bella.

Mom and Dad went outside to tell Bella goodbye and give her another birthday hug. Mom really loves Bella, like really cares for her and loves her just as she does Rose and I. I could tell that she was worried about Bella tonight. Everyone started to leave after that, all the guys from school, then Renee and Phil. Bella's Dad was last and he was just about to head out and leave me to drive her home where we could finally talk. She told her Dad she was feeling sick and just wanted to ride with him. If Charlie didn't suspect anything was bothering her, he does now. So I kissed her goodnight and went to unlock my car.

Bella was in the restroom while Charlie and I transferred her gifts to the trunk of his car. We slammed it closed and Charlie clapped me on the back, calling me a 'swell guy'.

I need to talk to her. I can't just let this sit. I need to know what's going on in her head. I think I'm going to pull a Jasper. Bella has this huge tree that nearly brushes up against one of the windows in her room. If Jasper can get up a tree, I can too. I don't know why I haven't climbed the tree before tonight. I guess because I've always been welcomed to use the front door. Yeah, that might be changing.

E.A.C

18 years


End file.
